Make EXPIRED RMAN backup set UNAVAILABLE?

AIX 5.2L, 9.2.0.5 (upgraded from Tru64, 8.1.7)=0D=0A=0D=0AIs it possible to=
make an EXPIRED RMAN backupset AVAILABLE in the RMAN=0D=0Arepository datab=
ase if the backupset files are no longer on the system=3F=0D=0A=0D=0AI copi=
ed a production database backupset to a test box (same directory=0D=0Astruc=
ture) with the intention of performing a DUPLICATE to refresh the=0D=0Atest=
database. Before I did the DUPLICATE, the backupset was removed=0D=0Afrom=
the production box by our nightly RMAN-to-disk backup of that=0D=0Adatabas=
e. (These RMAN-to-disk backupsets are picked up afterward by an=0D=0AOS fi=
le system backup.) As a shortcut (in retrospect I now know I=0D=0Ashouldn'=
t have), to make backupsets unavailable before making the=0D=0Adesired one =
AVAILABLE, I ran a CROSSCHECK BACKUP - which EXPIRED all=0D=0Abackupsets bu=
t the most recent. I then tried to run CHANGE BACKUPSET=0D=0AAVAILABLE to =
make this older EXPIRED backupset available for the=0D=0ADUPLICATE. Unfort=
unately, I got the following errors and could not make=0D=0Athe older backu=

pset AVAILABLE until I actually put them back on the=0D=0Aproduction box.=0D=
=0A=0D=0ARMAN-06481: backup piece cannot be found on the storage medium=0D=0A=

RMAN-06486: changed backup piece expired=0D=0A=0D=0AI swear that I could pr=
eviously use the CHANGE BACKUPSET AVAILABLE in=0D=0A8.1.7 to make the EXPIR=
ED backupset available even if it was no longer=0D=0Aon the production box.=
But I no longer have an 8.1.7 environment on=0D=0Awhich to test it.=0D=0A=0D=

=0AFrom what I can tell, this CHANGE BACKUPSET AVAILABLE functionality has=0D==0Achanged since 8.1.7. It looks like it now physically checks for the=0D=0A=

existence of the backupset on system. The RMAN-06481 and RMAN-06486=0D=0Ae=
rrors don't exist in the 8.1.7 docs and a TAR with Oracle Support=0D=0Ahasn=
't really answered my question yet. And the 9.2 docs aren't clear=0D=0Ato =
me.=0D=0A=0D=0ASo, does anyone know if it's possible to make an EXPIRED RMA=
N backupset=0D=0AAVAILABLE in the RMAN repository database if the backupset=
files are no=0D=0Alonger on the system=3F And can anyone confirm that thi=
s CHANGE BACKUPSET=0D=0AAVAILABLE functionality changed from 8i to 9i=3F I=
f it did change, why=0D=0Awould they have changed it to physically check fo=
r the backupset when it=0D=0Adid not before=3F=0D=0A=0D=0AThanks for any in=
sight you can give me.=0D=0A=0D=0ABob Stauffer=0D=0ADBA=0D=0AD&E Communicat=
ions=0D=0AEphrata, PA, USA=0D=0A717-738-8737=0D=0Arstauffer_at_decommunication=
s.com=0D=0A=0D=0A=0D=0A=0D=0A**DISCLAIMER=0D=0AThis e-mail message and any =
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